Chapter 113 Strolling along the Bund and watching the light show in Shanghai at night
WK1's crisis management has also drawn considerable dissatisfaction and criticism from fans. Since his comeback, Kwon Ji-yong has been repeatedly trending on social media for negative reasons, and there has been no follow-up to his alleged lawsuit.
However—they react very quickly whenever there are negative press releases related to GC.
Not only do we monitor foreign websites, but we also monitor public opinion on Chinese websites, because there is a risk of being seen by the main party. If only one GC fan besides himself can remain in the world, it will definitely be WK1. The two money trees must be as strong as gold and cannot be affected by any bad comments!
"Kwon Ji-yong isn't spending money, he's spending his love for his girlfriend," "GC is so sweet it makes me scream," "Kwon Ji-yong, the copyright tycoon, is so generous"—several positive trending topics quickly rose to the top, while the negative trending topics about Kwon Ji-yong were pushed down below the positive ones. Even if it was obviously bought, it was better than clicking on it and finding negative information and being memed by a bunch of straight men or haters.
Although this is what WK1 should do, fans couldn't help but be moved when they saw it.
YG has never sung such nursery rhymes to me.
This kind of happiness was something I had never experienced before at YG.
So this is what it feels like when the negativity can disappear in an instant without fans having to struggle to support you!
GC fans and Long Wei both experienced a feeling comparable to that of a high-achieving heir on this day, and wished they could live in such warmth forever.
Fortunately, the pink-haired dog and the real-world dog haven't been on Weibo for a long time and basically can't see these comments, so let's not let them affect his mood.
The negative trending topic did not dampen fans' enthusiasm for picking him up at the airport. Even fans living near Shanghai, such as Hangzhou, rushed over by high-speed rail. When Kwon Ji-yong came out of Hongqiao Airport, he saw a huge crowd of fans. The screams and the density of the crowd were exaggerated, even exceeding the expected scale of the send-off at Macau Airport.
Kwon Ji-yong even saw women around fifty years old among them, which didn't surprise him much, since his fans come from a wide age range. However, his mediocre Chinese was just enough for him to understand what the woman was saying to a fan next to him who had a daisy-shaped keychain: "You have to join in the fun!"
He immediately suppressed a laugh, but quickly turned cold again. He casually tugged at his mask, waved to his fans, and struggled forward under the escort of bodyguards and staff.
He always turns around and bows whenever someone calls his name. Now, it's all "Kwon Ji Yong" or "Kwon Ji Yong" chants. Kwon Ji Yong is so popular he'll turn into a spinning top, so everyone just bows in response.
It's not that he doesn't want to be closer to his fans, but things like picking them up and dropping them off at the airport are inherently in a gray area, and going too far can easily have a negative impact, so he can't express an encouraging attitude.
He didn't recognize the car that was picking him up, so he just followed Tiger Bro. After obediently getting into the car, he couldn't help but roll down the window to say goodbye to the fans, and drove off amidst even more enthusiastic screams.
Learning a little Chinese isn't always a good thing. I hear phrases like "brother-in-law," "husband," and "Ahhh, so handsome, I'm dizzy with his handsomeness, bro" so clearly that my face gets a little hot.
Jiang Tinghan pressed the cold water glass against Quan Zhilong's face to help him cool down physically, while accepting the box of egg tarts that had been trending online all day.
Even if she didn't see her good teammates, they would still enthusiastically share with her. Now she already knows what happened. Just going to the airport can cause such a storm. I wonder what Kwon Ji-yong did to deserve such hatred.
Jiang Tinghan reached out and touched Quan Zhilong's fluffy pink and white hair. The short hair was still quite soft to the touch. In her heart, she solemnly declared that she was not taking the opportunity to pet the puppy, but just wanted to comfort him. She then said in a slightly gentler tone, "It must have been tiring to fly here. It must have been very difficult to carry you all the way."
Kwon Ji-yong didn't try to take credit, his eyes crinkling with a slight smile: "It should be Tiger who has had it harder."
It had been another week since they last met. He had only exchanged a few words when he sidled up to Jiang Tinghan, took the water glass from Jiang Tinghan's hand, took a sip, and then his face scrunched up from the bitter taste.
"What? What is this? Isn't it tea?"
Jiang Tinghan: "Yes, it's just a tea with Chinese medicine added."
"No wonder it tastes so awful," Kwon Ji-yong muttered under his breath, then took another sip as if he still didn't believe it. He was finally convinced that the taste was indescribably terrifying, and just swallowing it had exhausted his courage.
He smacked his lips twice, deeply puzzled: "Tinghan, how do you manage to drink this tea without any change in expression?"
Jiang Tinghan smiled slightly: "Because I didn't drink it, it was just mixed."
Kwon Ji-yong: "?"
It seems they've been using him as a guinea pig.
His brow remained furrowed, and his low muttering sounded like a sticky, indistinct hum: "Does cold Chinese medicine really work?"
Jiang Tinghan was used to his sticky pronunciation, which was the opposite of chewy, so he accepted the information without any pressure and replied easily: "It depends. Isn't it very hot lately? You can drink it cold if you want to treat fever."
"Is it really bitter?" She was also making it for the first time and didn't quite know the taste. She pointed to the egg tart that had just been opened and was still emitting a fragrant aroma. "Let's neutralize it."
Now, this box of egg tarts carries an additional special meaning on top of Kwon Ji-yong's love: the first bite of the world's only egg tart that has been so widely criticized was taken by its buyer and escort.
Jiang Tinghan stared at Kwon Ji-yong, whose cheek had puffed up after biting it: "How was it?"
Kwon Ji-yong, dressed as a hamster, chewed and ate, then said, "It's alright, but it's a bit cold."
He held the egg tart to Jiang Tinghan's lips. Jiang Tinghan lowered his head slightly and took another bite along the edge of the egg tart with teeth marks. The aroma of egg and sweetness immediately melted on his tongue. His warm chin gently brushed against Quan Zhilong's wrist, as if he could vaguely feel his pulse, or as if it were a hallucination. He swallowed it after a moment of hesitation.
With just one bite, a whole egg tart that was still more than half full was suddenly gone.
Kwon Ji-yong threw the remaining small piece into his mouth, covered his mouth while eating, and immediately started slurping away, his tongue being quite agile in every way.
He hasn't changed his dramatic persona, spouting nonsense like, "This egg tart is a reflection of our positions in our relationship, Tinghan. You take up the majority, and I take up the minority..."
“I’m begging you, Professor Quan,” Jiang Tinghan stuffed another whole egg tart into Quan Zhilong’s mouth in an attempt to shut him up, “If you want to write a paper analysis, go to your university. As a graduate, I get a headache just thinking about it.”
She looked at her cheeks, which were thin with an unusually clear jawline but still looked quite full when puffed out, and suddenly felt an itch to poke them. In the end, she thought it was too immoral and only touched them lightly before putting her hand down.
The big star was dissatisfied again. Even though he was usually very conscious of his table manners, he had to mumble a criticism: "Look, it's just... a bully..."
"Oppa, think about it, weren't you the one who ate the first and last bite of the egg tart? Doesn't that mean that the beginning and the end were both yours?" Jiang Tinghan said without batting an eye, delivering these cheesy love lines without batting an eye, clearly a pro at it.
Kwon Ji-yong reluctantly tried to suppress the dryness of the egg tart crust with herbal tea, but couldn't help smiling: "Is Coldyxi having a fan signing event today too?"
Jiang Tinghan: "Then I take back what I just said."
Kwon Ji-yong objected again, smiling as he said, "If it's given to me, it's mine. How can I take it away?"
"Tinghan, you said you wanted to eat egg tarts, so I bought them. You should eat a few more, right?" The smile on his face slowly changed from simple sweetness to cunning, revealing the foxy look that made him look like a bad man.
Two hours, 1,500 kilometers, even if Quan Zhilong didn't say anything, Jiang Tinghan would have finished it all. It's just that there are so many in this box!
She was already sick of eating three or four more egg tarts, so she skipped dinner but went out for a late-night snack with Kwon Ji-yong.
The two of them strolling hand in hand in Jiang Tinghan's own country felt completely different. Shanghai and Seoul were also worlds apart. Shanghai was much more bustling. Logically speaking, since both of them were quite famous in China, even with precautions, there was still a possibility of them being recognized. However, when they actually went out, very few people paid attention to them. People here are often in a hurry. Those who look energetic are probably heading to a late-night party, while those who look exhausted are most likely just off work.
The two of them were just a tiny drop in the ocean. Wearing hats and masks, they could blend seamlessly into this city with its high proportion of trendy people. They found a small shop with relatively few people, ordered two low-alcohol cocktails and some snacks. It was on the second floor, where the lighting was dim and it was even more secluded.
They don't know why they would still subconsciously care about hiding it after it's been officially announced for so long; it might just be a habit of being an idol.
"Ah..." Kwon Ji-yong was surprised when he heard the light music playing in the shop. A smile suddenly appeared on his lips. "Baby, this is your song."
He also hummed a couple of lines of "Utopia, Tonight," a song that's 23 years old and still popular today. His listening skills are truly outstanding; it's even a song from his debut album!
Jiang Tinghan was also somewhat surprised: "What a coincidence."
This year, Synthwave retro-style songs have become popular again. Just like electronic music, there is always a climax. So many people have taken this short segment as background music for their edits, so it's not too surprising to hear it here.
When the restaurant owner came to serve the food and cocktails, the two of them hadn't taken off their masks yet. After the owner left, they ate a few pieces of fried chicken and immediately felt glad they hadn't taken off their masks.
There's a reason why there are so few people.
Cocktails...
The flower jar of the highball co-branded by Kwon Ji-yong is known for its bitterness and intensity, but after comparing them, the two felt that the flower jar mixed with some fruit juice could surpass the taste of this cocktail.
Jiang Tinghan picked up the bill and saw that it was 188 yuan a cup. It was Quan Zhilong who insisted on ordering it after seeing the price.
They're just suckers.
After drinking half a glass and finishing the fries, the two of them ran away. Their goodwill towards playing "Utopia, tonight" had completely vanished. Even Kwon Ji-yong, who is easy to please, said that the taste was burnt, which shows how bad it was. Jiang Tinghan, a seasoned foodie, found it even more unbearable.
Walking a few steps to the Bund, it was just past ten o'clock, not yet the Bund's lights-out time. You could still see the colorful lights on the opposite bank. The evening breeze blew on my arm, from the blackened heartbeat tattoo to another person's fair skin, leaving a light kiss-like touch.
The wind swept past the wisps of hair pressed up under the brim of the hat, the slightly longer black hair collided silently with the slightly floating white hair, intertwined for a moment and then fell down. Both of them were gazing at the dazzling lights, their eyes reflecting a shimmering expanse like the surface of water.
Although it's summer, it's not summer vacation yet, and today is Monday, so there aren't too many people. They managed to get the best viewpoint.
"Is this your first time at the Bund, Oppa?" Jiang Tinghan turned her head to look at Kwon Jiyong, staring at his innocent-looking puppy eyes. It was easy to tell whether Kwon Jiyong had rested well; just look at his swollen eye bags and you'd know he was actually very tired.
Kwon Ji-yong started reminiscing about the past: "I think... I should have been here before? We seemed to have visited here when we held a Fan Meeting before, but that was during the day, early in the morning."
In 2012, Bigbang became incredibly popular worldwide. If you didn't go out early, you would be surrounded by crowds. But now it's nighttime: "This is my first time seeing a light show."
To be fair, these beams of light didn't look particularly special, but Kwon Ji-yong thought, "They're quite pretty."
He seemed to sense Jiang Tinghan's gaze, turned his head, and their eyes met in the night. His eyelashes trembled, and Jiang Tinghan's elegant and aloof appearance, like white porcelain, became even clearer in his vision.
The light show made the people around it look beautiful too.
Jiang Tinghan seemed to be reminiscing as well, her bright black eyes gleaming with a warm light of memories: "I think this is the first time I've ever leisurely enjoyed a light show on the Bund like this."
"I feel like my whole body has slowed down."
Idols live a very fast-paced life, always on their way to the next destination. It's rare to have the opportunity to leisurely enjoy the scenery along the way with your lover. Although they didn't do anything special, Jiang Tinghan is very happy right now.
“Yes,” Quan Zhilong responded, then suddenly added, “Thinking about it this way, I’m actually quite lucky. I have a lover, family, fame, money, status… I have it all now. It’s been a busy year, but I still have the opportunity to come here with you, Tinghan, to enjoy the new scenery. I’m already luckier than many people.”
Jiang Tinghan slightly curled the corners of his mouth, with a hint of warmth but more of helplessness: "Dear? But Oppa, I think you are the least favored person in this world. What you have now is not because of luck, but because of your hard work. When you were pursuing me, didn't you put in 200% effort? Even with family, how many celebrities have turned against their families? Managing family relationships is also an art, Oppa. The reason you are able to become the popular G-Dragon you are today is because you have paid a lot for it. You deserve it."
Perhaps it was because the evening breeze was too gentle tonight, and Quan Zhilong's gaze towards her was even more intense, that Jiang Tinghan's true feelings flowed out naturally like a river flowing into the sea, without any psychological burden.
Kwon Ji-yong stared at her for two seconds, then launched into a series of little gestures, like a sea otter rubbing its face, covering its face, turning its head and dodging. Even when the cameras weren't rolling, he was full of shy little movements.
Jiang Tinghan had no idea what he was acting for. After finishing his performance, he solemnly declared, "I will definitely not cry today."
"That would be best. I don't want you to be photographed with swollen, red eyes by fans tomorrow, followed by a bunch of press releases that seem to indicate a fight and breakup." Jiang Tinghan's tone returned to that familiar indifference mixed with sarcasm.
Kwon Ji-yong's smile was a bitter one; the bitterness in his heart was even more intense and astringent than the herbal tea he had just tasted. It was such a familiar routine.
However, he's used to it. In the past, present, and future, there will always be people who doubt him, suspect him, or even spread rumors about him. It's always been like this, it's always been like this, it has never changed. If you don't like him, that's fine. He only cares about the people he likes and the people who like him.
“An, yes,” Mingming hadn’t been standing there for long, but it was already 11 o’clock without her noticing. The lights on the opposite bank were gradually going out, but Kwon Ji-yong’s voice was clearer in the silence. “If I hadn’t been lucky, I wouldn’t have been able to meet Tinghan while shooting for the magazine. I… I really do seem to have never been very lucky. Maybe I used up all my luck on that chance encounter.”
In the last second before the lights went out, the pitch-black night, along with the last remaining silver moonlight, plunged into the Huangpu River. The two looked at each other again. The dim light blurred their expressions, but somehow, the emotions in their eyes seemed even more straightforward.
Jiang Tinghan looked at Quan Zhilong quietly for several seconds, then stepped forward, reached out, and touched the dry corner of Quan Zhilong's eye. She said with slight surprise, "You really didn't cry."
"...?"
The otherwise beautiful atmosphere was instantly ruined. Kwon Ji-yong couldn't help but laugh: "Hey, it's not like I cry all the time. I wonder who it was that suddenly came to my house that day and started crying in my arms before we even had a few words. That's the real crybaby."
When the old story was brought up again, memories of 2023 came flooding back like a tide. Kwon Ji-yong is now desensitized to it and speaks of the events of that time in a relaxed tone.
Jiang Tinghan was slightly annoyed. Countless netizens apologized to Kwon Ji-yong after the clarification, saying that no matter what GD did, they should be tolerant. After GD's comeback, he was criticized from the beginning of the year to the middle of the year. His outfits were criticized, his voice was criticized, and people said that he was old and his strength was not good. She was too naive to believe that the public would change his ways.
These people's mouths are deceitful.
"It doesn't matter. No matter how much they complain, it won't affect their freedom to stroll along the Bund now," Jiang Tinghan said confidently. "It was only that one time. I can't even count how many times Oppa has cried on one hand."
“And also, Pabo,” Jiang Tinghan took Kwon Ji-yong’s hand, her voice slightly lowered, as if it would dissipate in the wind at any moment, “Luck is conserved; no matter how much you use up, it will always come back.”
Kwon Ji-yong paused for a second, then tightly grasped Jiang Tinghan's hand and walked side by side with her back the way they came.
“Ani, what if he doesn’t come back?” he asked very seriously.
Jiang Tinghan thought about it carefully and said, "Then I'll go to the temple and pray to Buddha to bless you with more luck."
Kwon Ji-yong smiled and said, "We must believe in science!"
Jiang Tinghan raised an eyebrow: "Oppa, don't you think it's contradictory to talk about both science and luck?"
Kwon Ji-yong immediately replied, with a matter-of-fact lightness: "I don't think so at all."
Jiang Tinghan let out a perfectly standard laugh with a blank expression, sounding rather indifferent: "Hehe, how amazing."
Upon hearing her tone, Kwon Ji-yong chuckled softly twice, his deep voice softening slightly: "I just feel that, compared to Buddha or God, which I've never seen before, hearing you, Han, bless me sounds more useful."
Jiang Tinghan: "Me? I'm not that amazing."
Kwon Ji-yong: "Really? But I feel like every day since I met Ting-han has been getting better."
“If it weren’t for Ting Han, many things wouldn’t have been resolved so quickly, like the incident from 2023 that I just mentioned. Now, many comments about me wouldn’t be handled so easily.” If he wanted to, he could write a thousand-word essay, but he only summarized it in two simple sentences and then said jokingly, “I feel like my reputation has improved.”
"I understand. Is today a time for mutual thanks and compliments? If you had told me earlier, I would have prepared a draft." Jiang Tinghan avoided discussing the content of Kwon Ji-yong's words.
"Ah..." Kwon Ji-yong gripped Jiang Tinghan's hand even tighter. If it weren't for the dim streetlights, one could see his teasing and winking expression. "This can't be a shy reaction, can it?"
Jiang Tinghan started making things up again: "This is the reaction you should give me for public relations, Oppa. I did something that your previous company couldn't do in all these years."
The moment money is mentioned, it means Jiang Tinghan doesn't know what to say and can only use the classic formula "give me money" to brush it off. But this statement makes a lot of sense, and no one can help but laugh when they hear it.
"Okay, okay, when we get back I'll take stock of all my movable assets and transfer them all to you. It's such an honor to have Coldy as my PR."
"Is it possible to get back gifts given during the relationship?"
"Then spend it."
"You probably couldn't spend it all even if you spent half your life on it, right?"
"Building a rocket can even lead to owing money."
They had only drunk a cocktail with a low alcohol content, but the two of them seemed drunk and talked nonsense all the way back, suspecting that the cocktail had some kind of psychedelic effect from "Utopia, Tonight" added to it.
I woke up to find two more trending topics.
One is "Kwon Ji-yong meets a mysterious woman on the Bund," and the other is "Jiang Tinghan meets a mysterious man on the Bund." I don't know if these neatly arranged entries were bought, but they are very humorous when put together. When you click on them, all you see are fans laughing and joking.
Actually, their hearts were pounding when they first saw the hashtag, but then they realized it was GC! Relieved, the fans started acting, criticizing the mystery woman for not being as good as Coldy, and the mystery man for not being as good as GD, until some passersby actually thought there was cheating, at which point they hurriedly explained, "Actually, GC just went to the Bund for a date to watch the light show!"
Kwon Ji-yong doesn't frequent Chinese social media platforms, and Jiang Tinghan is leaving for the next city tomorrow, so he's planning how to spend this last day.
From the Hundred Herb Garden to the Three Flavors Study, from the Oriental Pearl Tower to Disneyland, Lu Xun painstakingly researched travel guides while also absentmindedly touching the little pink dog and black cat on the veil given to him by a fan.
Because Jiang Tinghan received so many gifts, they searched for quite a while yesterday. Quan Zhilong had already been reprimanded, and if he kept touching them like that, they might fall off, but he still did as he pleased.
Who can blame him? He's also a crafts expert. Even if something falls off, he can sew it up himself. Before his return, he made one little outfit after another for the cat and dog. They even have their own little wardrobe. He's incredibly thrifty. The ratio is usually zoa:iye:haha = 2:2:1. It's not that I'm discriminating against haha, but one of his outfits is equivalent to two or even three of the cat's.
After much deliberation, Kwon Ji-yong felt that Disneyland was a better option. It seemed a bit unreasonable for them, who are somewhat famous, to go to crowded places every day. But looking at it from the other side of the story, probably not many people would guess that their itinerary was just like that of ordinary tourists, visiting the Bund and then Disneyland.
Last time, during the Good Day spin-off episode, when Hwang Kwang-hee went on a date at Lotte World, I was already thinking that he hadn't been to an amusement park with Kang Ting-han yet. Let's hope that today's luck comes back with an amusement park date!
Jiang Tinghan saw the trending topic on Weibo early in the morning. She wasn't surprised to be recognized, since they were all wearing short sleeves. Kwon Ji-yong's arm tattoo was too easy to spot, it was like he had "I am Kwon Ji-yong" written on his forehead.
They didn't take any group photos themselves, but passersby took a few third-person perspective photos of them, and they turned out pretty good.
It's this trending topic name...
How can someone be so good at stealing emotions?
It's like having a secret affair at a lavish banquet in Shanghai in the last century.
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Author's Note: [Pity][Pity] Today's MMA performance robbed me of all my coolness. Bro, please don't make me wait until April, I'll get depressed without any content! [Please][Please]
The real Superman prince is actually Rabbit White, right?! There must be six adaptations already, making us Take Me so envious!
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